Realize, when growing cold, that you will never freeze to death no matter how often you claim that it is so. Hypothermia will readily claim you first. Hypothermia — an insidious cooling of the body’s core temperature — is measured in stages that may correspond to some degree to the numbers on your thermometer. What begins as the body’s simple fight for preservation, a body so […]
Nowadays there are undoubtedly thousands of how-to resources about hiking, maybe even hundreds of thousands. Or more! There are blog posts, articles, books, videos, documentaries, podcasts, as well as clubs, groups, and organizations all vying to teach their readers, viewers, listeners, or members a thing or two about hiking. We’re guilty of it ourselves on this blog, and on our Resources page. And we bet that […]
The question: “Should hikers wear mountaineering boots in NH’s White Mountains? Well, the short answer is yes if they will be using crampons. The performance of mountaineering boots with crampons greatly exceeds the performance of hiking boots with the same crampons. The main reason is the unyielding stiffness of mountaineering boots offering the wearer superior support. This is critical to effective climbing (or hiking on trails […]
Their batteries fought hard but, sadly, in the end they died! The weather forecast called for colder-than-usual temperatures on the higher summits that day. Added to that were the near-constant winds dragging those temps down even further. The winds wouldn’t be blowing the clouds away, however. Not that day. The forecast stated the summits would remain in the clouds and that visibility on the ground was […]
Scottish-American naturalist, author, environmental philosopher, botanist, zoologist, glaciologist, and early advocate for the preservation of America’s wilderness areas, John Muir (1838–1914) is touted as being the “Father of the National Parks.” You are likely already quite familiar with one of his more popular quotes: Namely, “The mountains are calling, and I must go.” This oft-repeated statement helps us relate to the allure of the mountains and […]
They would come up to us guides, trying to stay composed, but their eyes would be wild with mild terror edging toward panic. “My hands/feet/whatever are so effing cold… please help me.” Experience with this sort of thing as guides meant we understood precisely what was going on and how to solve it. But it was never done in the way our guests would think we […]
bush·whack (verb) /ˈbo͝oSHˌ(h)wak/ 1. live or travel in wild or uncultivated country. This isn’t going to be a promotion. We wouldn’t do that to our friends. We’re not trying to sell you on anything. What we will be talking about doing in this article would in fact be dangerous and a bit foolish for most people. So, don’t do it. To be clear, this isn’t a […]
We’re a guiding company so we’re going to offer a pretty biased view; obviously we’re pro guiding, but the reasons we will give you to hire a guide will also be totally spot on. Is hiring a guide the right thing for you? Well, maybe. A lot depends on your actual knowledge of the specific area you want to hike in and the depth of your […]
The mountains are inviting to many people. “They call to me,” many will say. They are beautiful from afar — a majestic backdrop to any scene. And for those able, they’re even more stunning up close. To be on and among them, of course, is the ultimate way to get to know them, and to many this experience is quite sublime. Or “amazing,” “breathtaking,” even “otherworldly,” […]
If you hike in the winter, you already know what it’s like, right? You start off cold… whoa, wait, back up. You actually start off warm, in bed, forcing yourself awake at the bequest of an annoying alarm. It’s time to get cold. You go through your morning routine warming up as you do then head outside into the dark, Arctic air to freeze again. You […]
For a long time we have embraced and promoted the Hiker’s Thirteen Essentials as the recommended hiker carry list for use in the White Mountains. This, for those who weren’t aware, goes above and beyond the well-known “Ten Essentials” by adding sheltering material like a bivy or tarp, a partial or full size foam sleeping pad, and sun protection to the list. We felt the latter […]
So, you want to hike in the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF), right? Great. You will reap rich rewards. You already know this part, though. You’ve seen the photos others have posted online or read materials on the subject. You’ve noted the gorgeous Wilderness areas, the rich northern mixed forests, the lush and mysterious boreal zone thick with aromatic conifers, the stunted fir and spruce of […]
